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@Luiten gieten stwt @time JOHN M.GYCE, OF FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE. i Letters Patent No. 67,846, dated August 20, 1867.

IMPROVED SPORTING AND LIFE-BOAT.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. CAYCE, of Franklin, in the county of Williamson, and State oimlfennessee, have invented a new and improved Portable Sporting and Life-Boat; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which-.- I

Figure 1 is a top view of my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section'of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding par-ts in the two figures.

In lig. 1 the frame of the boat is shown uncovered on the right side of the drawing on` the left the frame is covered. v l

This boat is a light frame, covered with water-tight cloth, and capable of folding together. It is provided with horizontal arms, having lloats at their extremities, which can be thrown out so as to make the width of the whole lloating apparatus equal to its length, and render capsizing nearly impossible.

Iniorder that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to make and use the samefllwill proceed to describe itin detail. l i

In the drawings,A. is `the-lreeh'vvhivslzi at its extremities has the diii'erent-pieces of the frame B Bl I32 hinged to it,- so as to be capable of being shut together. Next to the keel the single rod B runs the whole length. of the boat. Above that is theV double rod B,`similar to rd B, except in 'consisting of two parts. Above vthat again is the double rod B, similar to B', except that its two parts diverge more from each otlxeriin their centre.

The cover C may be of gummed or oiled cloth, or any other suitable material. .It extends from the keel A around the outside of rods B B B", then over rod B, and down the inside of rods B and B to vrod B, forming air-chambers D D on each side ofthe boat above the rods B. Between the rod B and-the keel A there is no air-chamber. The cloth may then be'of tivo thicknesses or one, as may be preferred by the builder. An air-chamber may also be provided at each end of the boat..

Aboatithus formed may be expanded or folded together at pleasure.- When it is folded, and you desireto expand it,'the air must of course'be let into the air-chambers I) I), Aand valves d d are provided for that piirpose. When the'cbambers are full of air the valves .are closed. I f, afterwards, youdesire to fold up the boat for transportation, the valves must again beopened, to permit the escape of the air confined within.

A door, composed of two pieces E E, running longitudinally with the boat, is hinged to the kelson. The. two parts of this door shut together when the boat is folded up.

Thwarts Il F are attached to the boat at suitable points by hinges j' onone side, and a hoch and eye, f', or other suitable fastening, is provided lto support thorn-at-theirjothenexttemity.

Braces G' G are attachedhy hinge'join'ts to'the outer npperedgeoi the boats sides,and extend down on the inside of the boats'hold andashort distance'acrossY the kelson.. At suitablev points in these braces are holes,into-whichv rods YH II, attachedto'thekelsomhook, andthusilioldthe braces G G firmly in position. The lower extremities ot`` the braces G G are confined, when the boat is expanded, by means of small Tshaped keys g g. This completes-the description ofA the body of my improved boat.

Attached to this linlljby.horizontalarms I I are twoiloats KK, designed to prevent the boatl from capsizing. .I do n ot intend to confine myself to any particular forinof4 these'iloats, or material of which they may be constructed, but wish to bc---atliberty tov use any'form and any material that lmay be found to ranswer my purpose best. These floats are suspended fromv the extremities of the arms I I, which pass under and are pivoted to arched strips attached to the upper surface of the lloats. The arms I I are likewise pivotcd, at the edge of the boat, upon the bolts When expanded they are confined irl-*the proper position by means of T-shaped keys i', attachedto tl1e.,hoat',s and working in slots in the ends of the arms'I I. A

rlhe arms I I swing horizontally ou the pivots z' e'. vBy the means described the iloats may be fastened in the position show n inthe drawings, or, hy removing the keys t" t" from the slots in which they work, the oats, still attached to the boat by the arms I I, may he swung round to either end of the boat, so as to lie close alongside of the latter.

The bolts z' z' and keys'a" i may b'e made-of any size and strength required, as also may the arms I I. In

2 ansie order to prevent every little rise or fell of either loattr from straining .upon the arms I I, the latter may be attached to the floats by spiral springs, which will yield to and neutralize any sli,r ;htmotion'oi` the floats.

The'ozits K K may be made of sufficient capacity tesupport' any load that could be placed in the boats hold, even if therlatter should become injured and sink. They being firmly attached to the boat, it would thus becomeimpossiblr For the latter to sink further than a. few inches below the surface of the water.

Suitable cords L Lsliould be provided, for the purpose of extending and confining the ioats K. By this f''as the arms I I will be relieved of much of the strain that would otherwise come upon them. I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat/ent, is- /4 l. The braces G G, in combination with the frame B B', rods H, keys gg, and keel A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The floats K K, in combination with the arms I I, attached to them and to the boat, substantially as described.

To theabove'specication of my improvement I have signed my handthis 3d day of June, 1867.

J. M. CAYCE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. PETTIT, .SoLoN C'. KEMON, 

